


Getting Down to the Truth of the Matter

by hope-for-olicity (Jacq)



Series: Mary's Teacher [4]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Felicity as a Primary School Teacher, Fluff and Angst, Olicity Hiatus Fic-A-Thon, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-07
Updated: 2017-08-07
Packaged: 2018-12-12 10:05:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11734800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacq/pseuds/hope-for-olicity
Summary: Oliver and Felicity must both tell some truths in order to move forward.





	Getting Down to the Truth of the Matter

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for all the kind words and kudos for this series! I'm so glad you are enjoying this as much as I enjoy writing! Thanks so much to @magda1102 for the amazing edit!
> 
> This chapter will also be my entry for this week's Olicity Hiatus Fic-a-Thon prompt: Get Down. Hope you all enjoy! I did this without a beta so all mistakes are mine.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, they are the property of Arrow.

 

Felicity woke up the next morning feeling awful. Eating all that ice cream before bed - bad idea. But she wished that yucky tummy was her biggest problem. Really it was the ache radiating from her chest for a dream lost. How could you be this upset about something that you never had?

 

She had allowed herself to hope for the first time in a very long time. She had dared to think, this might be it - that thing that her college friends had found. The elusive love that she had never gotten to experience. Felicity had actually started to doubt it would ever happen for her and then when she met Oliver Queen.

 

No matter, how many times she reminded herself not to have a crush on her student’s Dad, it could not be stopped. She’d liked Oliver Queen from the moment he literally caught her in his arms when she fell off a desk.

 

She wiped away the tears. Enough wallowing, she told herself. She wallowed last night, now in the harsh light of day, it was time to pick herself up and move on. She was fine on her own before she met Oliver and she would be fine again. Maybe just a little emptier.

 

She picked up her phone and noticed it was dead. She had forgotten to plug it in last night. Oh well, it’s not like she was expecting a call. She plugged it in to charge and headed to the kitchen to make some coffee and hopefully find some chocolate.

 

Chocolate in the morning was Felicity’s favourite thing and today she needed her favourite thing. She heard her phone buzz in her room and went in to check as the coffee landed in her favourite Doctor Who mug.

 

She read the text from Oliver:

 

**Oliver: I’m sorry for what Laurel said**

**Oliver: I had no idea she was coming**

**Oliver: I hope we are okay**

 

He hoped they were okay? Why would hope that? Mary’s mother was back he should be focused on her. She thought about not writing him back but there was no need to be rude. Oliver hadn’t done anything wrong.

 

**Felicity: We are good**

**Felicity: I hope you work things out with Laurel**

**Felicity: I’m going to go visit my Mom for a little while**

**Felicity: Don’t worry, we are still friends**

 

There. Felicity felt like she saved face. She did the adult, responsible thing and now Mary could have a mother. She had no plans of visiting her mother, but this should stop any unexpected visits from Oliver.

 

*****

 

Oliver was sitting eating breakfast with Mary when his phone vibrated. He read Felicity’s text with a sinking feeling in his stomach. She was pushing him away. She didn’t understand.

 

“Daddy, what’s wrong? You stopped chewing your cereal.” Mary reached out for Oliver’s hand in concern.

 

“Nothing to worry about. It’s just a message from Ms. Smoak she is going away to visit her Mom.”

 

“Oh.” Mary couldn’t keep the disappointment out of her voice.

 

“Speaking of Moms, guess who is coming to visit this afternoon? Your Mom. She is in town and she really wants to see you.”

 

“No.”

 

“No? What do you mean no? It’s been awhile since she’s visited haven’t you missed her? I know she missed you.”

 

“No.”

 

“Mary, what’s going on? Why don’t you want to see your Mom?”

 

“I want to see Ms. Smoak.”

 

“Ms. Smoak is away but I’m sure you will see her when she comes back,” even if that’s only at school he worried. “But your Mom came just see you. Is there something you want to tell me about your Mommy? Is there a reason, you don't want to see her? Remember you can tell me anything.”

 

“I'll see Mommy,” Mary seemed resigned. She got up from the kitchen table and began to walk away.

 

“Hey, come back Mary. Are you sure? You don't have to see Mommy, I won't force you.”

 

She came back, head hanging low. "It's okay Daddy, I'll see Mommy. I'm going to my room now."

 

“Okay.”

 

Oliver couldn’t help but worry about his little girl. He knew kids went through phases. Admittedly, the last time she had seen her mother it had not gone well, Laurel had been drinking. But Oliver had made it clear last night that he smelled alcohol on her breath today, she would not be seeing Mary.

 

*****

 

Laurel called to confirm that she still very much wanted to meet up with Mary. Given Mary’s thoughts on this morning, he thought it might be best to dangle a carrot in front for Mary.

 

He told Laurel he’d call her back once the plan was confirmed.

 

Oliver knocked on his daughter’s door. The door didn’t have a lock and she generally didn’t close it but he wanted to respect her privacy. “Mary, it’s Daddy can I come in?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Mary was laying on her bed with a book. Oliver still impressed with her reading ability and he did everything he could to encourage reading. Oliver sat down next to her. “So, I was just talking to your Mommy on the phone and I know you said you don’t want to see her but I was wondering if maybe you would agree to see her if she joined you and me at Big Belly Burger for lunch. What do you think about that?”

 

“You’ll be there?”

 

“Yes, all three of us.”

 

Mary scrunched up her forehead like she was thinking hard. “Okay.”

 

“Okay, I’ll call your Mommy and tell her we will meet her there.”

 

*****

 

Oliver and Mary had been waiting in a booth at Big Belly Burger for ten minutes and Laurel had yet to arrive. Oliver checked his phone again to see if she texted she was running late. She had not. He could see Mary was getting impatient.

 

“Okay, I’m sure Mommy will be here soon. How about we order our food now?”

 

Mary nodded enthusiastically.

 

Oliver waved down a server and explained their situation and placed their order.  A short while later their food was served and still no sign of Laurel. To be honest, Oliver was getting concerned. Laurel was pretty insistent about seeing Mary, why would she blow it off?

 

When Laurel strolled in five minutes later, he was relieved. Mary may not want to see her mother but he believed it was important to keep this relationship going as much as possible.

 

“Hey, sorry I’m late. Stuff happened.” Laurel said, slurring her last word.

 

Oliver couldn’t believe it! He had been entirely clear. Laurel could not spend time with Mary if she had been drinking and now she’d shown up drunk. Mary was oblivious but Oliver wasn’t.

 

“Mary, Mommy and I are going right over there, where you can see us and I can see you. I need to talk to Mommy privately.” He tried to keep his voice steady.

 

Mary nodded and took a sip out of her chocolate shake.

 

Laurel glared but followed Oliver. “I don’t know what your problem is Oliver, I was late but I showed up.”

 

“Laurel,” Oliver waved at Mary at smiled, reassuring her he was watching. “My problem is you are drunk. We have talked about this, I don’t want you around our daughter when you are drinking. So far we have kept our custody arrangement for Mary out of the courts but if this continues, I will be forced to come up with an agreement which will clearly state you can’t see Mary if you are drunk.”

 

“Oliver, it was one drink. I was nervous. Just needed something to take the edge off.”

 

“Laurel, do you even hear yourself? You needed something to take the edge off so you could meet your little girl for lunch?”

 

All of sudden, Oliver saw Mary standing on her seat in the booth. She knew she wasn’t allowed to do that. Then he heard Mary loudly say “Ms. Smoak” and she waved.

 

Oliver turned his head to confirm who Mary was seeing. There Felicity stood, blushing and clearly trying to duck. So she was still in town.

 

“I can’t believe you invited your girlfriend. That’s low even for you. I’m done with this. I’m in town until Friday. I’ll call tomorrow and maybe I can see Mary then.”  Laurel stormed away.

 

Oliver rushed over to Mary. “Mary, get down this instant. You know you aren’t supposed to stand on this chairs. You could hurt yourself!”

 

Mary quickly sat. “Sorry, Daddy. It’s just I saw Ms Smoak and I didn’t think she saw me when I waved when I was sitting and you told me to stay here. I was trying to follow the rules.”

 

“I know you were sweetheart, just don’t stand up on the chair again.”

 

“Where did Ms. Smoak go, Daddy? Maybe she didn’t see me.”

 

Oliver knew for fact Felicity had seen Mary. He also thought she may have seen him and Laurel, not exactly good news for him. Not that he was doing anything wrong. “I’m sure she was just in a rush, honey. Remember I told you she is going away.”

 

“There she is” Mary pointed.

 

“Mary, don’t point. Remember, I told you that it is rude to point at people.””

 

“Sorry.”

 

Oliver turned and smiled and waved at Felicity. It’s not he could pretend he didn’t see her. He was relieved when Felicity began walking toward them.

 

*****

 

Felicity hadn’t thought through her lie to Oliver. She was not going to visit her mother so now she had to do her best not to be caught in that lie. She just didn’t think she would be caught immediately.

 

Mary looked so excited to see her. She could not break the little girl’s heart. She had to go over. She’d observed Oliver talking with Laurel away from Mary, which seemed a bit odd, but then she noticed Laurel stumble out of the restaurant. None of your business, she reminded herself.

 

Felicity headed to the table to face her consequences.

 

“Hi Ms. Smoak!”

 

“Hi Mary” She smiled and turned. “Oliver,” she nodded.

 

“Hey, I thought you were going out of town.”

 

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have lied. I just wanted to give you an easy out. Now, that Laurel is back you can be a family again. I just didn’t want you to have to worry about hurting my feelings. I am happy to be your friend if you still want that.”

 

“You lied.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“So Laurel and I could be together?”

 

“Yes, I didn’t want to stand in the way of your family.”

 

“Felicity, Laurel and I are never going to be together. You weren’t standing in the way of anything. Laurel will always be Mary’s mother but that is all.”

 

“Oh.” Now Felicity was really embarrassed. “Clearly, I misunderstood. I am sorry. Listen, I’m going to go. I think I’ve done enough for today.”

 

“Ms. Smoak stay! Eat with us.” Mary was completely unaware of Felicity’s uncomfortableness. Felicity felt like such a fool.

 

“Yes, Felicity stay. It really was a misunderstanding. Laurel had to leave.”

 

Felicity really didn’t want to disappoint Mary, “okay, I’ll stay.”

 

*****

 

As they finished up their meals, Oliver turned to look at Felicity. “Can I call you tonight, so we can talk? I really want to explain.”

 

“Oliver, you owe me nothing. I’m sorry that I made you feel like you did.”

 

“But I want to tell you. I want you to understand.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“Good, I’ll call after this one,” he grabbed Mary in a hug. “Goes to bed.”

 

*****

 

Felicity settled on her couch in her comfy clothes with a cup of tea. She knew Oliver would be calling soon. She felt bad that Oliver felt the need to explain himself.

 

Her phone buzzed and she picked it up. “Hey.”

 

“Hey you, can I talk first?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“First, let me say, Felicity, I really like you. I don’t want to freak you out but I want you to have all the information before you make any decisions about whether you are willing to go out with me again or not. If you decide, you do not, I’ll respect your decision.”

 

“Okay, but just so you know, I really like you too, so I don’t see that happening.”

 

“Let me start at the beginning. Laurel and I never really dated, we hooked up a few times at the bar. Both of us were drunk. We had gone to high school together here in Starling City but I never really knew her. So the pregnancy was a surprise. Laurel decided she wanted to keep the baby, thought it was just the sign she needed to clean up her life. She was drinking pretty heavily back then. I knew from the start I wanted to be involved. So we agreed to be friends and raise the baby together. Laurel stayed sober throughout the pregnancy and things really seemed to be going well. When Mary was born, I looked at Laurel and she looked panicked. We were both pretty young and it was our first child so I thought that was normal and understandable. I reassured her, I would be there every step of the way. We had rented a three bedroom apartment shortly before Mary was born so I could be there at all times. But the anxiety never left for Laurel and one night, I woke up to here Mary crying and Laurel was gone. She came back three days later, drunk, and told me she couldn’t be a Mom. We agreed, I would raise Mary and she could visit. And that has been our arrangement since then.”

 

“Oh Oliver, Mary is so lucky to have you.”

 

“Thank you. I would do anything for my daughter. Laurel, will always be her mother but she has her own problems. Mary doesn’t see her very often and I don’t know what happened the last time but this morning, Mary didn’t want to see Laurel. I managed to get her to agree to see Laurel by taking her to Big Belly Burger but when Laurel showed up late, she was drunk. I had to ask her to leave. I think you saw a bit of that.”

 

“I’m so sorry Oliver. For you and Mary and for Laurel as well, she obviously has a lot of problems.”

 

“Laurel’s family and I have tried to get her help over the years but it hasn’t seemed to take. Laurel’s father has been seeing Mary since we moved back to Starling City and Mary and he seem to have a good relationship. I want Mary to have as many people who love her in her life as possible.”

 

“I’m so glad Mary is getting to know her grandfather.”

 

“Now, I want to steer this back to your concerns. Of course, I wish Laurel and I could have given Mary the family she deserves but I had to come to terms that that wasn’t going to happen. In fact, I was nervous about introducing any new women in Mary’s life. Until you. You changed everything.”

 

“Oliver,” Felicity blushed on the phone, she was glad he couldn’t see.

 

“I mean it, Felicity, I liked you from the very first moment I saw you. With you, there was no choice to make. The choice was made for me. I wanted to date you but I didn’t want you to say no, so I waited until the end of the school year. And when you said yes, you made me so happy.”

 

“You make me happy too, Oliver.”

 

“So, given what you now know, would you agree to go out with me once more?”

 

“Oliver, I need to apologize for lying to you. It was wrong. I know I said I was doing it so you could have a family but clearly, I did not have all the information. I should not have made a decision for you. It’s just my Dad left my Mom and me when I was seven and I really didn’t want to stand in the way of Mary having a family. I liked you a lot, like way more than I’ve liked anyone. Since you have been so honest with me, I’d like to do the same in return. Oliver, I have trust issues, I always worry people will leave me. Mainly, because they have, so I try to protect myself. I’m sure this was a factor in my decision to lie. Also, I don’t date much and liking you, as much as I do, freaked me out. Oliver, are you still there?”

 

“Yes. Thank you so much for being honest with me. Of course, you are forgiven for the lie. If you are worried in future, promise we will talk. That is if you want a future. Will you go on another date with me?”

 

“Yes! Yes, Oliver, I can’t wait! Thank you so much for calling.”

 

“Thank you, Felicity. Do you have plans for tomorrow night? I was thinking, maybe you could come over for dinner. My parents are still out of town so I don’t have a sitter for Mary so she would be with us for dinner. Is that okay?”

 

“That is more than okay, Oliver.”

 

“So we are good?”

 

“We are nothing but the best.” Felicity couldn’t keep the smile out of her voice.


End file.
